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Daily Archives: January 4, 2013

I asked our student workers to imagine a world in which you could major in the ExCollege. I asked them to tell me what courses they would take this spring to fulfill the requirements for this very unique major. This is the response I received from Lynne Koester, senior, English major, and ExCollege veteran.

First of all, I essentially am covertly majoring in the ExCollege. To date, I have taken ten ExCollege classes (including internships) which is more classes than in my declared major of English. Basically what I’m saying is that the ExCollege should give me a second diploma in May (hint, hint, Robyn).

The ExCollege’s mission is to add breadth to students’ educations that we might not get otherwise from our chosen paths. I, on the other hand, focus on ExCollege classes because I realized at the beginning of my sophomore year that I wanted to have a career involving Sports Film/Video. The ExCollege fills the gaps that Tufts’ offered majors leave, and I’ve consistently taken the film and sports classes that the ExCollege offers.

The End of the Year Evaluation for an ExCollege class asks how impactful the class was for each student. One of the answers is “life changing.” While that option seems a bit dramatic, I can say with absolute certainty that my college experience, career path, friends, activities—indeed, my life—would be radically different without classes such as Making Movies and Sports Journalism in the Internet Age.

Anyway, clearly I’m the ExCollege’s biggest groupie, so it should come as no surprise that I had a hard time picking which classes I would take if I could officially major in the ExCollege. Beky asked for four or five, so here are my top…eight.

1. EXP-0050-CS: Media Literacy

I am hoping to take this class somehow despite the fact that I need to have all my evenings free for my internship (also an ExCollege class…) because it sounds amazing and totally applicable for everyone.

2. EXP-0020-S: Forensic Science: An Exploration

I am unclear as to how a class can get cooler.

3. EXP-0030-S: Sabermetrics: The Objective Analysis of Baseball

This is certainly a class I should take, but I know that I would be SO, SO, SO BAD at it, which is exactly why I should take it. But, you know…got to keep my weeknights free. Cop out.

4. EXP-0014-S: The Art of Improvisation

One of the teachers of this class is the owner of overall-jorts, which is hilarity I think speaks for itself.

5. EXP-0026-S: Architecture/Music: Sound and the Built Environment

Here’s a combination of two things that always amaze me and that I know less than nothing about. Also, the teacher is probably one of the nicest people I know.

6. EXP-0033-S: Campus Community Emergency Response Team

Learning CPR and other, um…stuff that can save lives has been on my to-do list forever. Hopefully not getting around to it won’t have some seriously not good consequences. I feel like this class should probably just be mandatory for everyone.

7. EXP-0040-S: Positive Psychology Theory and Application

For when singing “Don’t Worry Be Happy” to yourself in the mirror stops working.

8. EXP-0056-CS: Making Movies

As an alum, I’ve got to throw this bad boy in there. If you have any interest in film, this class will be simultaneously the best and worst thing that will happen to you.